The Ebony Mask
by pigs will fly
Summary: Jack of Blades soul has been trapped in his mask for 600 years. Now he is about to return...
1. Burning Oak

Fable: Jack is Back

His foot steps echoed around the cavern, bouncing off the walls. Dust was thick in the air and each breath stuck in his throat, but if what he was looking for was here this was more than worth the prize. He had lost all sense of time, had he been down here for hours, days, months? He no longer knew. All that mattered was the prize, he would find it and the years of searching will have all paid off.

Was that? Yes a light at the end of the cavern, this might be it, this must be it. He wasnt sure how long he could last down here, his flask was almost empty and there wasnt much food left. He'd been forced to kill his partner already... No none of that mattered he must go on HE MUST. The prize was all that mattered, all that mattered...

Suddenly he was in front of the door, this was wrong he musnt allow himself to relax he, couldent afford to. Nothing could be seen past the doorway, the light was blinding. Was it sunlight? No it was an unnatural light, an.. other worldly light. This was it! he could feel it in his blood, the feeling throbbed through his veins, it was... salvation.

He steeled himself and stepped through the door. He found himself in a large square room iluminated by one solitary object in the middle of the room, a small oval shape on an ancient altar .Voices seemed to be floating from the object, familiar voices. He took a step closer and voices became louder, they where encouraging him. He stepped up to the altar and lifted the object from the stone. As soon as the it left the stone the light dimmed. Now the mask could be clearly distinguished. He looked into the eye holes, they seemed to suck him down into them - into their past. Memories flooded the man's mind, blinding light filled his vision. He tried to fight it but it was useless, the mask had already siezed his mind and was forcing him out of his body. the light in his eyes faded until all that was left was... darkness.

The man's body was quickly being rebuilt, changing, being prepared for its new host. The new body got to his feet and brought up the mask. The feel of the ebony on his face was familiar, it fitted perfectly to his new face.

**Jack of Blades has** **returned...**

Eldon slammed down his sixth empty pint, the hot and sweaty tavern was packed this evening. Nobody wanted to be out in the fog, this was balverine weather. There'd be dozens of them prowling around Dark Wood tonight. Only the stupid or suicidal would set foot outside Oakvale today. Eldon checked his money bag, 11 gold left, he had over spent again, but after another workless day he had felt he deserved a few pints. Nobody needed a hero anymore. The golden age they call it, not for heroes. no trouble ment no work.

It wasnt like the legends anymore, like the days of the heroes guild and of all powerful will users and monstorous warriors. But of course evil was conquered and peace came to albion, peace and unemployment. Eldon sighed, with so little gold it looked like he would be sleeping with the stars again tonight. He looked up to see the the tavern owner giving him dirty looks, time to leave. Eldon squeezed himself past the sweaty, sticky people of Oakvale and out into the foggy cold night. If the fog had gone by tomorow he could head off through dark wood, see if there was any work in Bowerstone City, fat chance.

Eldons foot steps echoed into the distance as he walked down the cobblestone path looking around for somewhere to kip. His leather armor was becoming sodden from the thick fog, it was quiet this evening the only sounds were his foot steps and the sound of his sword banging against his thigh. The master-forged katana had been his fathers, though it hadn't been out of its sheath for a while.

A woman's scream broke the silence, Eldon whipped round, the scream had come from the other side of the town and he set of at a gallop down the street. Wooden houses rushed by on either side, curious heads popping out of windows, and people were pouring into the street. Eldon turned a corner and there in front of him were five armoured creatures, each holding a double bladed sword. One of these swords had the limp body of a young woman impaled on it.

It was difficult to see the creatures in the fog but one of them was acting strangly. Eldon stepped forward for a better look but one of the creatures lifted its head and saw him. It let out a blood chilling growl and rushed toward him. Eldon quickly drew his sword and brought it up just in time to parry the creature's first slash. The sound of steel on steel ran down the street, it was strong, very strong, the first blow would have chopped him in half if he had not been so quick. The creature did not stay staitionary for long it drew back its sword and took another swing at Eldon's left thigh, but this time he was ready for it and bashed the blade away putting the creature off balance. Quickly, before it could recover, Eldon sliced off the thing's head and kicked its body to the floor.

Eldon looked up at the rest of the creatures. Angered by the death of their comrade they all rushed toward Eldon with superhuman speed, all but one . Summoning energy from within him, Eldon directed it to his fist and slammed it into the ground. A wall of flame flew from his fist and collided with the monsters, leaving only their charred armour and bones. The one left had finished its ritual, its hands glowing with power it let out a blood curdling scream to the sky, and pillars of fire crashed into many of the houses nearby, completely obliterating them.

Eldon rushed towards the creature and decapatated it. He turned away, his blade and armour soaked in blood, and turned his eyes to the sky. . The clouds had taken on a blood red hue and the fog had lifted during his fight. Holes began to open up in the clouds and from these more pillars of flame erupted, destroying half the town in an instant. There had been more, not just these five creatures but many more, and yet now even more holes where opening up. This town was lost and Eldon fled to dark wood.

Darkness had come to Albion


	2. The Dark Forest

_Smoke and fire everywhere, his parents where screaming through the dark. They where trapped in their room, flames drawing ever closer, licking at their toes. Fear flooded his mind, he was blind all he could hear was screaming and flames. A cracking sound, the whole building was coming down around him, unconsciouness was claiming him and he fell to the floor as the building followed..._

Eldon awoke to the sound of bird song, last night's events seemed so far away, how could life continue as normal after a night like that. He could still see the town burning, buildings exploding in balls of flame. After he had fled into the forest he had found a hollowed-out tree to sleep in, deep in the forest, and sleep had claimed him. Eldon stood up and looked around, even though it must be morning the trees still blocked out the light from the sun.

The forest had still been a bit foogy last night but it was now completely gone, probably burnt up by the fire. Eldon heard a rumble and quickly drew his blade, searchig the trees with his eyes. The sound came again, it was close, very close but Eldon still could not see anything. Eldon waited for the sound to come again, he was not dissapointed. The rumble came from below him. Turning his eyes to the floor Eldon realised what had been making the sound. The sound came again, straight from his stomach. Eldon sheathed his sword and began to laugh. It had been his stomach all along! It made sense, he hadnt eaten anything since yesterday's breakfast.

He had found the problem but had no way to solve it, the tavern he had been drinking in did not serve food and after the attack last night he doubted there would be anyone left to buy from. As he was thnking about this he realised he felt no sadness towards the ghost of last night. Not so long ago he would have mourned for days while their souls were laid to death. Now he felt nothing, this scared him more than the destructive power of the creatures.

There was no chance of finding food in this forsaken forest, he doubted there was a plant that would not kill you before you picked it from the ground and no game ever came here. The only meat he would find was balverine and he didnt feel like tangling with one this morning. In the end he decided to head to the town and see if there was anything he could scavenge that the creatures had not taken. That was if he could fnd his way out of this hell hole...

Several hours later, Eldon emerged from Dark Wood to gaze on the most horrorfying scene in 600 years. Oakvale was no more - there was nothing left to show this had once been a busy town. Now all that remained was ash - ash and charred corpses. There was no point of going down into the town, nothing had survived. The creatures had all but disapeared - there was not a sign that they had been here, and as to where they had gone he hadnt a clue. Eldon turned away from the desolate scene. He would be eating balverine or nothing tonight.

There was nothing left to do except head to Bowerstone City to find work and spread the word of the attack. Eldon began to turn away before a searing pain struck his head. The black scar that had once been Oakvale was disapearing, being replaced by a smaller, older Oakvale. He saw it attacked by bandits and burned down, he was unable to remove his eyes from the horrible events unfolding before him. People were screaming as they were cut down by the merciless bandits and blood flowed through the streets.The pain worsened and his vision zoomed in to see a boy lying by a beaten corpse. There was a wizard standing over him, the boy looked up at the wizard who held out his hand and said something that Eldon couldent hear. The boy reached out his hand and touched the wizard's. Instanty they vanished in a blast of blue light.

Eldon's vision zoomed out, the burnt down Oakvale returned and the pain disappeared. Eldon found he had fallen to his knees and quickly got up. What had that been? Eldon hadn't a clue but he saw no reason it should delay him any further. This time Eldon took the path into Dark Wood, it would lead him to Bowerstone safely, well as safely as you could get in Dark Wood. Though he would have to get into a bit of danger if he wanted to eat tonight.

After several hours of walking Eldon had found not one sign of a balverine. He was now extremely hungry and was starting to get tired from his long treck through the trees. This forest was unnerving- not a sign of life to be seen, the only sound the twigs and sticks breaking under his boots. It was becoming even darker and soon Eldon would not be able to see anything let alone baverine prints.

Just as he was thinking about setting up camp he spotted a group of trees with their lower branches broken, something had been through here and from what he had seen of the forest it was unlikely to be wild game. Hunger won over weariness and he decided to set out after it. After half an hour of following paw prints and broken twigs he found his balverine. It was a big one, knotted muscles rippling all over its body with teeth the size of his fingers and claws that could slice hs arm off in one swing. It was lucky he was down-wind of the beast or it would have been straight on him and he would not have stood a chance. Eldon drew his blade and readied himself for the fight. Just as he began to launch himself at the balverine, a crippling blow smashed into his left shoulder and sent him hurtling into a thick tree. He was dazed for a few moments before he could get to his feet. As his vision cleared he saw a black shape with golden eyes looking at him, the balverine. How had it been that fast? Eldon hadent even seen it move. But he was wrong, as his vision came back into full focus the first balverine stepped out of the trees and next to his ally. This was ok he could take two. Eldon reached down for his sword but found only air, he had draw it just before being attacked. There on the right, his sword was lying on the ground, he could probaly make it in a dive.

The balverines were closing in and preparing to pounce, he would have to time it just right. One step closer, then two, and then they moved. With supernatural speed they lept toward Eldon, but he had jumped as well, almost simultaneously, to the right. He was rewared by a crack as one of the monsters collided with the tree. Eldon landed hard but rolled out of it to his sword, he grabbed the handle and looked up just in time to see another massive claw flying toward him. He only had time to let out an "Oh" before being thrown into another tree. He landed heavily on his shoulder and heard something crack. The third balverine pinned Eldon to the tree and began to move his jaw to Eldons neck...


End file.
